lingvo.wikisort.org - Language

Luyana (Luyaana), also known as Luyi (Louyi, Lui, Rouyi), is a Bantu language spoken in Zambia and perhaps in small numbers in neighboring countries. It appears to be an divergent lineage of Bantu.[4] It is spoken by the Luyana people, a subgroup of the Lozi people.

Luyana
Esiluyana
Native to	Zambia; immigrants in Namibia, Angola
Region	Okavango River
Native speakers	480 Luyana proper in Zambia (2010 census)[1] perhaps 7,500 in Botswana (no date; not clear if Luyana proper)[2]
Language family	Niger–Congo? Atlantic–Congo Benue–Congo Southern Bantoid Bantu (Zone K) Luyana
Language codes
ISO 639-3	lyn
Glottolog	luya1241
Guthrie code	K.31[3]

Ethnologue lists Kwandi, Mbowe, Mbume, and possibly Kwangwa ("Kwanga") as dialects. Maho (2009) classifies these as distinct languages; it is not clear if any of them are part of the divergent Luyana branch of Bantu, or if they are Kavango languages.[3]

The writing system of the Luyana language was developed in 2011[5] and uses the Latin script.[5]

The language is taught in primary schools and secondary schools.[5]

Phonology

Vowels

Luyana has five simple vowels: a, e, i, o, and u.[6] o is almost always open and is rarely closed.[6] Wherever there may be hesitation between o and u, u should be used.[6]

There are no diphthongs.[6] When two vowels meet, they contract, or one is omitted.[6]

Consonants

The Luyana consonant system has approximately 25 phonemes. The consonant inventory of the language is shown below.[7]

	Bilabial	Dental	Alveolar	Postalveolar	Palatal	Velar
Plosive	p  b	t̪  d̪				k  ɡ
Nasal	m		n		ɲ	ŋ
Fricative			s	ʃ
Approximant					j
Lateral approximant			l

References

See also

• Mbowe language

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